A systemc-AMS simulation environment for the evaluation of energy harvesting wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are very complex systems. They are often used in application areas with poor infrastructure and mobility, so each sensor node of a WSN needs its own power supply. Energy harvesting systems (EHSs) can be used to extend the operational lifetime of sensor nodes or even enable perpetual operation. However, the efficiency of the power supply depends not only on the used hardware itself but also on the application running on the sensor node. Therefore, a simulation environment including the complete WSN is needed to be able to understand all dependencies. This work presents the concept and first results of a simulation environment written in SystemC-AMS for the simulation of complete WSN. It includes energy harvesting, communication, power-awareness, location-awareness and dynamic power management. Each node is composed of single modules which can be exchanged easily to test different hardware or software components. The results show the ability to simulate energy harvesting systems using SystemC-AMS.